Michael Thackeray

Distinguished Fellow and Materials Scientist

- Chemical Sciences and Engineering

Michael Thackeray is a Distinguished Fellow and senior scientist in the Electrochemical Energy Storage Department in the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division at Argonne National Laboratory. He received his Ph.D. from Cape Town University, South Africa and studied as a post-doctoral fellow with Professor John Goodenough at Oxford University in the early 1980s. He returned to South Africa to head the Battery Department at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research before moving to Argonne in 1994. He is currently the Director of the Energy Frontier Research Center: Center for Electrical Energy Storage – Tailored Interfaces in a partnership between Argonne, Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Thackeray has contributed to the discovery of several new battery chemistries and to the design of materials for these systems, several of which have been licensed to industry worldwide. His research has been published widely and recognized by several national and international awards.

Recognition on the commemorative wall at Africa’s first internationally accredited science park (The Innovation Hub, South Africa) for contributions as a South African to world science and technology, 2005.

University of Chicago Distinguished Performance Medal for contributions to lithium battery technology, 2003.

International Battery Association Certificate for leadership and service to the Association, 2003.

Recognition by the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) as a Highly-Cited Researcher, 2001.

International Battery Association Research Award for significant contributions to the development and understanding of manganese oxides and vanadium oxides, 1993.

CSIR Outstanding Achiever Award (South Africa), 1990.

Silver Medal from the South African Institute of Physics for significant achievements for a scientist under the age of 35, 1983.